State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, congratulates newly promoted Ohio State Highway Patrol Col. Charles “Chuck” Jones after administering his oath of office, while State Rep. Kevin D. Miller, R-Newark, left, looks on during a ceremony, Thursday at the patrol’s academy in Columbus. Jones, who began his career with the patrol in 1994 as a graduate of 126th Academy Class, becomes the patrol’s 20th Superintendent after being appointed following the retirement of Col. Richard Fambro.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the appointment of the new superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. Jones will assume the responsibilities of the superintendent of the patrol and will be promoted to the rank of colonel. Jones will replace the outgoing superintendent, Col. Richard Fambro, who will retire after 32 years.
State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, administered the oath of office to Jones during a ceremony Thursday at the patrol’s academy in Columbus.
“It was an honor to be invited to administer the oath to Colonel Jones,” Ghanbari said. “Our Ohio State Highway Patrol has an incredible lineage of women and men who have served since the division’s inception in 1933. I will continue to champion the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and look forward to working closely with Colonel Jones and the administration on public safety issues impacting the motoring public.”
“The appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Jones to superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol will further enhance the agency’s exemplary public safety services for the citizens of Ohio,” DeWine said. “I am confident he has the experience and vision to ensure that Ohio’s roads and communities remain safe for all Ohio families.”
Jones began his patrol career in February 1994 as a member of the 126th Academy Class. He earned his commission in July of that year and was assigned to the Marion Post, where he earned the state proficiency award in auto larceny enforcement in 1998.
In 1999, Jones was promoted to the rank of sergeant and assigned to the Delaware Post to serve as an assistant post commander. As a sergeant, he also served at the patrol’s training academy.
He was promoted in 2004 to the rank of lieutenant and remained at the patrol’s training academy. As a lieutenant, he also served in the Office of Personnel, Columbus District Criminal Patrol Unit, and the Marion Post. In 2013, he was promoted to the rank of staff lieutenant and remained at the patrol’s training academy. He also served at the Bucyrus District Headquarters.
In 2018, he was promoted to the rank of captain and transferred back to the Patrol’s Training Academy. In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of major and served as commander in the Office of Training, Recruitment and Diversity. In 2021, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Jones completed training at the FBI National Academy in 2005. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 2021.
Jones has selected Maj. Joshua Swindell to serve as a new assistant superintendent. Swindell will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and will fill the assistant superintendent position vacated by Jones. Swindell will serve alongside current assistant superintendent Lieutenant Colonel Marla Gaskill.
